5 Ways to be More Grateful in Life

A proud man is seldom a grateful man, for he never thinks he gets as much as he deserves. - Henry Ward Beecher

It's easy in today's world to get swept up in the swell of negativity that bombards us constantly.?24-hour news cycles and social media posts intended to cause outrage and dissent. It may seem like an impossible chore to block out all this negativity.

With the busy lives we lead, compounded with the increase in daily stress, you can fall into a "negativity cycle." You may find quick spurts of thankfulness, but almost instantly, you get swept back into the dark side.

The good news is that being more grateful is a natural habit of changing just by practicing better mindfulness. Becoming more grateful can be as simple as stepping back and realizing that what we have might be more than we ever bargained for.

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Definition?of Grateful

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adjective

grate· ful?|?\\\\??grāt-f?l??\\\\

1a:?appreciative of benefits received

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b:?expressing?gratitude?grateful?thanks

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2a:?affording?pleasure or contentment?:?PLEASING

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b:?pleasing by reason of comfort supplied or discomfort?alleviated

For me, being grateful has always meant merely appreciating what we have. Society puts too much pressure on people to always be one-upping their neighbors. Social media reminds us of this with constant posts of our friends showing off their new house, car, or expensive dinner.

We need the best new car or a bigger house just so we can feed our egos, but instead, we should be grateful for all we have.

I can admittedly be guilty of this at times in wanting more. It's more out of a desire to want more beautiful things, and sometimes I attribute those nicer things to achieving success. It takes my level-headed wife to reel me back in and remind me that I am already successful and should be grateful for what we do have because it's more than others. I need to remind myself that I have healthy, intelligent caring daughters, a roof over our heads, clothes on our backs, a stable marriage, and many other things.

We need to focus more on what we do have as opposed to what we don't. When you become more grateful, you begin to block out negative emotions. Therefore, you find yourself happier.

Showing gratitude doesn't always have to be about significant accomplishments. Everyone wants a little fanfare in their life when something momentous happens, but you can also express appreciation for smaller things as well.

5 Ways?to Be More Grateful in Life

Find new things to be grateful for

Try to find different things each day to be grateful for. It's easy to always be thankful for the same things, like family, friends, and loved ones. Expand your horizons and notice new things each day that you are grateful for.?Some suggest keeping a journal to keep track of what you were grateful for on that particular day. Journaling can also change your perception. Seeing these thoughts in writing and reflecting on them can be a powerful motivator.

At the very least when you lie in bed at night repeat to yourself 5 things you were grateful for today. And change them up daily. Even the smallest things count.

Let people know

Make sure to express your feelings of gratitude to the people?around you. Thank someone for going out of their way to help you. Let your loved ones, friends, and co-workers?know how much?you appreciate them and how grateful you are that they're in your life. Everyone likes a compliment now and again. Focus on all things positive with your loved ones.

Volunteer

There is no better way to allow you to see all that you have in life than to volunteer for those who are less fortunate than you. Volunteer at a soup kitchen on Thanksgiving morning or help out once a week at a hospital or veterans' home. It will warm your heart to see the reactions and faces of the people you help who are less fortunate. Even something as simple as helping out at your church or synagogue for an event will go a long way toward helping you be more grateful.

Be present?

Don't dream about what you could be doing, be present for what is happening right now, right in front of you. Appreciate all that you have at that moment. I'd always rather be on a beach with nothing to do, but I know, in reality, that can't happen right now and might not ever happen, and that's OK. It's ok to dream and have aspirations, but don't forget what you have right now. Life is going to go on with or without you. Why not participate in it while it's happening?

Quit complaining

For some people, complaining is the norm. It's their means of communicating from morning until night. Being around people who complain can be draining on others. Everyone wants more money or a better job. If you see yourself heading down the road to complaining about what you don't have, stop and replace those thoughts and be thankful for what you do have!

It's easy to be more grateful if you take the time to realize what you do have in life right in front of you. Practice an attitude of gratitude, and you will find more happiness in your life.